Welcome message – Andreas Michael Reinhardt – LEMnet Europe e.V.

The eTourEurope is taking place this year for the 3rd time, starting next weekend. Many like-minded people – and some that were from the beginning participating – meet in Munich , Odeonsplatz, to the peaceful , yet time – consuming , motivation and cleverness requiring ride ” 9 Capital cities in 9 days ” with a total of 3.900 kilometers drive per each Electric vehicle !

What are the goals? Pro Electromobility, pro commonly usable and standardized Charging infrastructure anywhere for fast loading (22 kW AC or up to 50 kW DC) and to demonstrate in Public that many Electric vehicles today can manage range already!

What is the reason why we can achieve already Range with Electric Vehicles throughout Europe?
Because there is a Charging Infrastructure already in parts existing in Europe and Drivers can inform via Internet and Mobile Apps constantly about where and how to charge and how to navigate to destinations for managing their Everyday mobility. This is why Services like www.LEMnet.org and LEMnet Apps comes into play and comparable Services and apps from other companies.

But in which kind of Europe we are this year driving?

What has changed since 2014?

It is pleasing

, how Electromobility developed rapidly in Europe during last years. Indeed in the world! The number of new Electric vehicles and volume sales increased. Constantly! The performance of Car Batteries has been greatly improved and their prices have dropped even more. The expansion of the fast (CCS, CHAdeMO) Charging infrastructure has progressed impressively and the EU Member states are required by EU rules to implement the Directive on the establishment of an Infrastructure for Alternative fuels (Directive 2014/94 / EU) by the end of 2016. Yet, the number of new registrations of Electric vehicles compared to the “Combustion vehicles and exhaust strong cars” is still vanishingly small. Exceptions are the Nations that Tax and Subsidies wise encourage strong buying of Electric vehicles, such as Norway, The Netherlands, France, etc.
As you can see, there is still much to do. The “eTourEurope” will show where the weakest spots in the Charging infrastructure in 2016 are yet to be seen and whether the European Funding efforts and the Programs of National governments of EU countries will be contributing to create a more uniform Charging infrastructure and are regarded to be well-designed Public investments. We do hope so!

Thoughtful makes us

, as a result of the “Diesel scandal” – due to the exhaust gas manipulation – the damage of reputation of Europe’s largest carmaker Volkswagen. We are even more concerned – since the last few days – because of Disclosure to the Public of the ” thermal window ” endearingly called shutdown systems for diesel engines – how quickly the entire Auto industry has ( except BMW Group ) ‘drove the Diesel engine against the wall in terms’ of emissions, has misled the buyers , has effected the Environment and now Auto industry is at the pillory. But perhaps it needs such “key findings and –Key evidences”, so that the way is clear for a more sustainable Mobility, which is electric? And Electric vehicles are only charged with renewable Energies. “Bye, bye Petrol Stations!”

Worried makes us

how quickly due to the Wars , Crises and Disasters, Europeans have deeply divided amongst each other since 2014 ( first eTourEurope ) and Nations already debate about separation from Europe (“Brexit”, Proposed referendum on United Kingdom membership of the European Union ) and giving Electors a public Vote. Or upcoming General Elections will be shaped and used for “Anti-EU campaigns” from many political parties in France , Germany, Austria , as could be seen in Poland .

I am wondering – not only these days:Can the eTourEurope at least make a tiny contribution to turn the tables in terms of the core idea of Europe and its shared values and institutions?

I think of the known and frequently quoted “Butterfly effect “. And I wonder what would help in view of prevailing feeling of many people of powerlessness and fear in the Member States of European Union?

“Against the powerlessness and fear helps only to compete aligned to front. Europe must finally truly unite before it is too late”, wrote in a commentary in SPIEGEL ONLINE currently Jörg Bong, S. Fischer Publishers. The writing I can only support this commentary because it corresponds to my personal opinion.

Given the state of our European Union (EU), it is time that civil societies of Europe get more involved and noticeable more engage in everyday life politically, socially , economically and culturally.

Because the “European values are not negotiable items: items that are essential, inalienable, unalterable, even if there are no absolute derivations. We use them absolutely, give them universal validity. Democracy, our Constitutions and Civil codes, Human rights, Civil liberties, Civil rights, Equality rights, Belief and Religion rights, Opinion rights, Press rights, Welfare rights, Gathering rights, Mobility rights, the fundamental right to physical Integrity, social Solidarity, the Protection of Minorities and Vulnerable, the Freedom of the arts, the Separation of Church and State …
The extensive, impressive catalog is known”, as Jörg Bong writes.

In that regard, for me the “eTourEurope 2016″is in the next fortnight a pulse not only for the necessary renewable energy, the comprehensive mobility and electric mobility begun turning under the sign of dramatically advancing climate change and on the way of implementation the climate decisions “COP21 Paris 2015” United Nations. 173 countries have just signed the Climate Treaty at the Headquarters of the UN in New York!

The 15 Teams – including # 1 Team LEMnet – on the eTourEurope, the thousands of people that are along the 16 stages and arrive at eMobil- and eMeetingspoints (also with their electric vehicles), create a living witness to a “borderless Europe” in view of the fatal border closures in some European and EU countries! I say: Mobility in Europe should be limitless and remain! There are other solutions to the important Issue of Migration!

As we know, or at least feel, the Regions of Europe are for us “people’s living, the lived and experienced Europe, the first instance of Identification, the Emotion. They are the exact opposite of “abstract Unity”. They are the Reality”

In this sense, let us profess publicly in Munich, at Kick off Odeonsplatz on 29th April and during the Tour to the final destination Salzburg (Anif) on May 8th , that we and how we feel committed to “our Europe” as Civil society -, yes we stand up for our Civil societies. Just as we give evidence by heart for the necessary Climate, Energy and Mobility Changes!

I wish all the participants at the eTourEurope- and eMOBIL venues on site an exciting, encounter rich, but also harmonious and peaceful time with emphatic positive experiences as well as insights and an arrival at Target Destination Salzburg in good health.
Only the 58,500 kilometers of fifteen starting Teams, CO2- and largely free of pollutants, because of electric drive are a strong commitment to the Fight against Climate change, for Electromobility and for a United Europe! So we drive per /”PRO” “eTourEurope”! And please join us locally if you can!

I am happy to see you. I’m personally driving with this year for 9 days, too. Now it comes down to!